Service Learning Washington
 
Home
What is Service Learning?
Designing a Service Learning Project
K-12
Teachers
Students
Community Partners
Higher Ed
Community/Faith-Based Organizations
Reflection Tool
Real Stories about Service Learning
Service Learning Washington
Resources
 

Youth-Adult Partnerships

When the voices of young people are supported, youth-adult partnerships can to be created, sustained, and successful.  As a partnership it takes commitment from both young people and adults.  Both youth and adults need specific skills to forge successful partnerships. These include effective communication, team work, and encouragement/coaching.  The partnership should be focused on an underlying goal that both youth and adults hold in common.

Service-learning involves working with adults outside the home or school environment. It is important to know how to build effective partnerships with everyone you encounter while working on a service-learning project. It is especially important that all voices be heard when developing a plan for community action involving youth and adults.  Here are some characteristics of effective youth-adult partnerships (NYLC,1999):

Respect:  You give it, you receive it!
Mutual respect and an appreciation for each members contributions to the partnership are vital.

  • A culture of respect shatters stereotypes based on age.
  • Young people respect adults who listen and ask challenging questions.
  • Adults respect young people who invite them to share their skills, experiences, and resources.
  • A culture of respect provides all participants to act on their dreams and learn from their mistakes.

Communiction: Listen Up!

  • An honest and open exchange of ideas is crucial.
  • Young people are best heard when adults step back and young people speak up.
  • Adults are best heard whe they are straight up and explain where they are coming from.
  • All people's ideas and opionions are valuable and must be heard.

Investment: It takes time!

  • Investing in the future is accepting young people as leaders today.
  • Young people and adults must first set their fears aside and take a chance on each other.
  • Adults must provide young psople with the information, training and support they will need to succeed. They must also develop theri own abilities to work with young people.
  • Young people must commit their time and energy to do the work and be willing to learn from adults.

Meaningful Involvement:  Count us in! 

  • Decisions about young people should be made with young people.
  • Involving young people from the beginning builds ownership.
  • Adults need to support young people in taking on responsibility.
  • Reflection helps everyone appreciate the importance of their work - for themselves, for their program, and for their community.

Youth Led Service Learning:  Supporting Youth Voice
(NYLC: Strategic Youth Initiatives, 1999)

Starting Point:
Although service learning is used as a model for classroom instruction, students are not involved as leaders in project planning and implementation.

Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3

As the course commences (at the beginning of the school year, semester, or block) & it is determined that students wil take leadership roles in the classroom, the teacher/facilitator:

Agrees to share power & control.  This may invovlve training on Youth-Adult Partnerships.

Involves students by presenting the specific learning objectives of the course or project & then initiating discussion about how the objectives can best be met.

After it is decided that a service learning project will help meet the objectives:

The teacher/facilitator provides background information on service learning if necessary.

Students discuss ways in which curriculum can be connected with service.



After students are familiar with learning objecitives & the service learning process (Benchmark 1):

Class members & teacher/facilitator identify a project.

Students choose a peer(s) to help lead the project.  With guidance from leaders, the class creates an action plan that connects service & the learning objectives, defines goals, delegates responsibility, & includes a timeline.

The teacher takes a step back to allow for group process & trail & error during the planning & implementation stages (while also providing students with resources, moral support, & guidance).

After the service learning action plan has been created & is being implemented:

Students reflect on the experience.

(Reflection: using critical thinking skills to learn from an experience.  How have I grown?)

Outcomes and Next Steps:
After the project is completed, students evaluate the project. 
(Have the course's learning objectives been met?  What additional learning has taken place?  How has the greater community been effected by this project?  What would you change/keep the same? Have we followed our action plan and met the goals for the project?)

Students document results from service learning assessment for future classes and/or projects.

 
 
 
 
 

Contact us: Sue Lerner, (206) 205-3209 | Accessibility | Copyright | Policies
Service Learning Washington, 919 SW Grady Way, Suite 120, Renton, WA 98055.